This is a place for foodies to share all.
Recipe advice, and sharing of recipe's, restaurant review's, sustanible food facts, and practice's.
Pleasing Palates is my Passion, so hearing from anyone that feels the same way I do, would be music to my ear's

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Perhaps some of you have heard of Soul Food Farms, located in Vacaville CA...They are known for their wonderful chickens and eggs (ChezPanese uses them) their eggs are sold at the Ferry Building farmers Market...these are just a few places you may see their product.

Anyway the reason I am writing about them is they were severely damaged by the recent (Sept. 3rd) fire in that area, and need as much help as they can get...both monetary and physical help. They also have some local restaurants holding dinner's with proceeds going to their cause.

Monetary donations can be made using paypal or by check (visit www.soulfoodfarm.com/blog/ for additional info about Soul Food Farms relief.

I realize that the economy is real bad and everyone is tightening their bugets...however even if you can only donate 5 dollars...I promise you it will come back to you two fold...in times like this if we fail to help small sustainable businesses, in any small way we can, we will suffer for it.

This farm shall not go down without a fight and if you have ever had one of their chickens or their eggs you would know why.

I do not usually ask others to donate to anything, but in this case I think it's worth it.

To lose them, would only add fire to the large factory's that do not practice sustainably or humanly.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Please check out the site Eat Real Festival, you can get there from here in my "sites and blogs you should check out" section, it is worth the time. Very informative, and allot of fun events to be found as well.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Hi, ok I know I haven't been here for awhile....been going through very big changes in my life.....all for the best, and I am now seeing so much clearer (is that a word) anyway, I am much happier about my future.

On to food....Last week was crazy with catering, ending with a BBQ for 160 (200) really with all the temps and contractor's. Oh did I mention that it was well over 100 degree's. which brings me to the sweet potato/honey/rosemary salad I made that is oh so hot weather, outside, long hours, friendly, because it is not mayo based, and the sweet potatoe's are really yams but YAM SALAD sounds unappetizing...confused yet!

Here is the recipe.... :D

400 degree oven

2 1/2 lbs. yams (diced and roasted with evoo,rosemary, s&p) Note: the yams will go from not cooked to over down within minutes so watch them carefully, you want them underdone, still a bit crunchy)

Cooking and marinating the shrimp:Bring 1 quart salted water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Add shrimp, cover and return to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, pour off all liquid.Spread out shrimp in large bowl to cool completely.Peel shrimp, and de-vein.Toss shrimp with remaining 1/2 cup lime juice, cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.The Salsa:In a small strainer, rinse chopped onion under cold water, then shake off excess liquid. Add to shrimp bowl along with chopped cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, olive oil, cucumber and jicama. Mix gently, taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Cover and refrigerate up to a few hours, or serve immediately.Serving the ceviche:Spoon the ceviche into sundae glasses, martini glasses or small bowls. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro, diced avocado and wedge of lime.

Did you know..........

When heating a pan up, and it gets to hot, add a pad of butter to cool it down!!

As it is stated below, if you rinse purple/red cabbage it will not bleed onto everything else and turn your salads pink!

If you rinse a diced onion with cold, cold water, it will not make your salad, or whatever you have used it in smell like the onion. The cold water rinses the sulfar from the onion, which is what caused the smell to begin with.

If you think a lime or lemon for that matter, is dry and has no juice in it, I have a tip, do not cut it in half to juice it, hold it on its end and cut off a cheek so to speak, you will find that you had allot more juice than you thought possible.

Pomegranites, are in season, I have a tip on getting those little seeds from the pod.....a bowl of water, a wooden spoon....cut the pomegranite in half....with cut side in the palm of your hand over the bowl of water, pound the end with the wooden spoon....all the seeds will fall out into the bowl and sink to the bottom.....any white parts will float.

"Figs, wonderfull figs" They are full of calcium, not to mention they are DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Try them as a garnish on roasted butternut squash with rosemary

Ever have to peel dozens of boiled eggs? well here is a way to do it....put as many eggs in a large stainless steel bowl that will fit without falling out when flipping, thats right flipping. You flip the eggs in the bowl banging them against each other before you know it the eggs are peeled. All you need to do is rinse and use as needed.

If you are making hot wings and wonder why the skin does not seem to get crispy enough. Try seasoning them with choice of seasonings and marinate for a couple of hours, than steam the wings until completely cooked. Let them cool to temp before frying them. You can than add your sauce of choice and serve. You will find that you wings will be tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

If you are going to grill corn in the husk, you do not have to remove the silk (which everyone hate's to do anyway.) Soak your corn in a bucket of water for a couple of hours than grill as you like. When you pull the husk off the silk will come right with it, much easier than trying to get it out before, and what a time saver.

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About Me

I was born in CA and have lived here all my life.
I cannot remember when food and cooking was not important in my everyday existance.
Food is what I do for a living and for fun, I am like a sponge always waiting for more info about food, and cooking.
I write at least one recipe daily.
I have a 20 year old son that has been my taste tester for as long as he can remember, and has developed a pretty good palate.
I love Farmers markets, and the sight of a large variety of heirloom tomatoe's makes me gidy, i think food is sexy, and sharing a meal with someone,or cooking a meal, or someone cooking a meal for me is the best gift.